the old log school-houses where he received his limited
education. Like the youth of his early day, he was inured to hard toil
when quite young. His father built a small mill, which he operated in
connection with his farm, and this furnished plenty of work for his
boys. He died after the close of the war at the advanced age of eighty
years. His wife died some six years before. Of their family, Eli was
the fourth child. Two of their sons, named Henry and Joel, are
still residents of Clinton Township. With the exception of a short
residence, from the spring of 1856 until the fall of that year, in
Richland County, Wisconsin, and from that time to the spring of 1857
spent in Jones County, iowa, Eli Shew lived in Clinton Township from
the time of his coming here with his parents, and always in the
neighborhood of his father's pioneer home. April 4, 1847, he was united
in marriage to Miss Mary Adaline Hedges, a daughter of William and
Permelia Hedges. She was born on their homestead in Clinton Township,
near her present home, August 23, 1825. Mr. and Mrs. Shew commenced
housekeeping in limited circumstances, but by their industrious and
frugal habits, they succeeded in making a good home for their family.
The homestead contains 110 acres of choice land, of which sixty acres
are well improved, and under good cultivation. Mr. and Mrs. Shew had
eight chldren born to them. The eldest, Mrs. Permelia A. Tennis, lives
in Clinton Township. Two children, named Clarinda and Leonard M., died
in early childhood. Lurena, deceased wife of William P. Atkins, left at
her death a family of seven children. William D. is living with his
parents. Milton P., the sixth child, died young. John E. married
Margaret E. Bright and lives in Clinton Township. Edwin N. married
Betty L. Foltz, and they are living with Mrs. Shew. In politics Mr.
Shew was a member of the Greenback party, but of Whig and Republican
antecedents. Mrs. Shew is a member of the Missionary Baptist church.

WILLIAM HUGHES, one of the successful agriculturists of
Highland Township, residing on section 28, is a representative of one
of the pioneer families of Vermillion County. His father, Constantine
Hughes, was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, January 10, 1782, where
he grew to manhood, and married Miss Hannah Gifford. Fourteen children
were born to them, of whom ten reached maturity, and of these only
three are living -- Ehud, living in Vermillion County; Constantine,
residing in Nebraska, and William, the subject of this sketch. In 1829
the father immigrated with his family to Indiana, locating first at
Clinton, Vermillion County, where he remained until the following
spring. The family then lived in the vicinity of Perrysville about six
months, when they settled on the land now owned and occupied by our
subject. Here the parents lived until their death, the father dying May
23, 1848, and the mother January 7, 1857. They were much esteemed among
the early settlers for their many excellencies of character, and for
many years were faithful members of the Baptist church. In his
political views the father was a Democrat. William Hughes, whose name
heads this sketch, was born on the homestead where he now lives, the
date of his birth being November 9, 1830, this having been his home for
fifty-seven years. Mr. Hughes has been twice married, taking for his
first wife Miss Cynthia Ann Smith, a daughter of James Smith, one of
the early settlers of the county. She died in 1856, leaving three
children -- Harvey, now living in Kansas; John, in

Biographical
Sketches - 433

Highland Township, and James W. Mr. Hughes was married a
second time to Miss Hester Ann Spry, who was born in Highland Township
in 1834, her father, David Spy, coming to the county in an early day,
and is now living at Perrysville. Her mother died many years ago. Of
the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hughes six are living -- Martha
E., David M., Annie J., Charles G., Albert and Oral. Their fourth
child, a son, died in infancy. Mr. Hughes has always followed
agricultural pursuits in which he has met with excellent success. He
has 212 acres of choice land where he resides, 167 acres of which was
the old homestead of his father. Beside his home farm he owns other
land in Highland Township, having altogether 455 acres of choice land.
In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party, although he
believes in voting for the man best fitted for office regardless of
party ties. In matters of moral and social progress he is among the
leading citizens of his county.

ABEL SEXTON, a prominent and enterprising citizen of
Vermillion County, with whose interests he has been identified for many
years, is a native of Oneida County, New York, a son of Isaac J.
Sexton, a native of Connecticut. The Sexton family are of French
origin, and among the early settlers of Connecticut. When our subject
was young he was taken by his father to Fulton County, New York, his
mother having died in Oneida County, the father making his home in
Fulton County until his death. He was twice married, and by his first
wife had a family of four children -- Mrs. Mary Ann Bingham of
Columbus, Wisconsin; Abel, the subject of this sketch; Andrew O., a
grain merchant of Columbus, Wisconsin, and the present mayor of that
city, and Ralph, the youngest son, now lives in Gloversville, Fulton
County, New York. Abel Sexton grew to manhood in Fulton County, and his
father being a farmer he was reared to the same avocation. The farm
being small and there being a number of sons in the family, he decided
to try some other vocation, and early in life began learning the
carpenter's trade, but soon after entering upon his trade he accepted a
situation with an auctioneer, with whom he traveled about the country
in the pursuit of his business. This occurred in 1840, when he was
about twenty years old. He subsequently traveled in his business as
auctioneer with the circus of Raymond, Waring & Co., which was
traveling through the country at that time, going with it as far as
Cincinnati, several months being consumed in making the trip. He left
the circus at Cincinnati, and traveled to Kentucky, and the following
season he and a young man from New York State, with whom he traveled,
decided to return to their native State, and accordingly set out on
horseback, reaching their destination about a month later. After
spending a few weeks at his home, Mr. Sexton returned to Kentucky,
where he continued auctioneering for some time. About 1843 he came to
Indiana, locating first at LaFayette, and in the month of October,
1844, he came to Newport, where he spent four years. He then went to
Columbus, Wisconsin, where his brother lived, and after remaining there
about four years he returned to Newport, where he has since made his
home. Mr. Sexton was married at Newport to Miss Lucretia Blanchard,
November 5, 1845. Mrs. Sexton was born in Perry County, Indiana, May
21, 1826, and in September of the same year her father, William
Blanchard, came to Vermillion County and settled in Vermillion
Township, where he died about two years